This invention relates to an herbicidally active sulfonamide, agriculturally suitable compositions thereof and a method for using it as an herbicide and/or plant growth regulant.
New compounds effective for controlling the growth of undesired vegetation are in constant demand. In the most common situation, such compounds are sought to selectively control the growth of weeds in useful crops such as cotton, rice, corn, wheat and soybeans, to name a few. Unchecked weed growth in such crops can cause significant losses, reducing profit to the farmer and increasing costs to the consumer. In other situations, herbicides are desired which will control all plant growth. Examples of areas in which complete control of all vegetation is desired are areas around fuel storage tanks, ammunition depots and industrial storage areas. There are many products commercially available for these purposes, but the search continues for products which are more effective, less costly and environmentally safe. The "sulfonylurea" herbicides are an extremely potent class of herbicides discovered within the last few years. A multitude of structural variations exist within this class of herbicides, but they generally consist of a sulfonylurea bridge, --SO.sub.2 NHCONH--, linking two aromatic or heteroaromatic rings.
The compound of this invention is within the generic disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,113 which is directed to herbicidal benzenesulfonamides of the following formula: ##STR1##